Saratoga Springs-based Serotta bicycles names William Watkins new CEO

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- World-class amateur cyclist William Watkins has been named chief executive officer of Serotta and its parent company, Great American Bicycle.

Watkins, a West Point graduate, raced Serotta bicycles in national and world championships before going on to a successful business career.

He is the founder and CEO of The Marena Group, a medical device company he began in his garage in 1994. The company's products, sold in 72 countries, are leaders in their market.

"I've known Bill since he burst onto the national racing scene in the 1970s when, in only his second year of competition, he raced his Serotta to earn a spot on the U.S. National Team," said Ben Serotta, the Serotta company's founder. "I could not be more excited to have my old friend leading our team."

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Serotta is marking its 40th anniversary this year. Ben Serotta founded the company in Saratoga Springs in 1972. The firm's headquarters are on Geyser Road.

Watkins replaces interim CEO Howard Berkowitz, who led Serotta through a transition period after Bradway Capital acquired Serotta and its parent company last May. Berkowitz has returned to Bradway, where he is vice president of private investment.

"I consider it a true privilege to see my career come full circle," Watkins said. "Today I get to lead the company that designed and manufactured the bikes ... when I pursued my Olympic cycling dream in the mid-1970s," Watkins said.

Prior to founding Marena, Watkins turned around a privately held subsidiary of a German company that manufactures equipment used in the apparel industry. He refocused the brand so that it occupied the market's top tier. The company was named Georgia's "Small Business of the Year" in 2003. Previously, Watkins held various product and sales management positions at Mobil Chemical Co.

He worked for the Army Corps of Engineers from 1977 through 1984.

At various times, Watkins has been active at the highest levels of competitive cycling. He was on the U.S. Olympic Development and national teams from 1976 through 1984, when he won numerous national races and represented the U.S. in international cycling events.

In 2009, Watkins began a late-in-life comeback when he set his sights on the USA Cycling Masters Road National Criterium Championship. He came to Serotta for a fitting and a new bicycle and rekindled his friendship with the company founder.

Watkins landed on the podium at several Pro 1 races, and after winning the national title in 2011 he wrote a new business plan for Serotta based on his vision for the company.

"Bill is uniquely qualified to lead Serotta," company Chairman Brian K. Case said. "The manufacturing company that Bill founded makes its products in the U.S. in an industry dominated by Asian and Latin American supply chains. As bike manufacturing continues to migrate to Asia, Serotta remains steadfastly committed to building the highest-quality bikes at our factories in Poway, Calif., and Saratoga Springs."

The national recession that began four years ago took a heavy toll on sales of Serotta's handcrafted, custom-made bikes. Sales plummeted from 2,000 to 700 bikes per year.

In 2011, Ben Serotta put his Geyser Road manufacturing facility on the market and began looking for a smaller location. However, this year's acquisition has brought in new financial backing. The Geyser Road facility is no longer for sale.